Fluid pressure operated swab



N. Hy RICKER Dec. 15, 1931.

FLUID PRESSURE OFERATED SWAB Filed May l. 1950 Sil-1mm,

Parenteel Dee. 1s, 1931 UNITEn STATESv PATENT ori-ICE NORMAN H. Brenna, or noUs'roN, 'rms FLUID PRESSURE OPERATED SWAB Application illed May 1,

duct the air to the lower end of the. eductionv tube.

I desire to employ automatic means to control the operation of the device, and yet to use the space between the casing and the eduction tube for the inlet of the pressure iluid to the lower endof the eduction tube.

In the drawings herewith Fig. 1v is a central vertical section through a device embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, somewhat enlarged, showing the swab engaging structure adjacent the upper end of the eduction tube.

My device is an improvement upon the '25 structure shown in the prior patent application of H. W. Fletcher, Serial No. 326,234 filed December 15, 1928, the improvement consisting of eliminating the use of two ytubes within the casing.

The casing is shown atl. It'has a Casin head 2 at its upper end. Said casing hea has a lateral outlet 3 for liquid from the well,

and its upper end is closed by an elongated l cap 4. The interior of the casing head has an inwardly, extending liange providing a shoulder 5 to support the eduction tube.

The gaseous fluid enters the casing head through a lateral inlet 6 connecting withl an upwardly curved pipe 7 leading to an automatic pressure fluid regulator A.

The eduction tube 8 is of smaller diameter than the casing below the inlet 6 to provide 4an inlet passage 9 for the pressure fluid.

Within the casing head, the eduction tubeconnects with a head 10 upon which is a iiange 11 to engage uponthe shoulder 5 to support the tube 1n the casing. Above the ange 11 is a sleeve 12 screwed upon the head 10 and hea adapted to form a seal within the casing 1930. Serial No. 448,832.

Above the head 10, the eduction tube extends upwardly into the outer cap 4, the upper end of the tube being closed, as shown at 13. The sides of the extension 14 are' slotted at 15 to allow an outlet for the pressure fluid 55 and the liquid from the well. A slot 16 is also formed to receive a latching dog 17 suspended upon a' leaf`spring 18, which holds said dog normallyin position to engagethe swab 19a.

Below the dogl17 is a slidable collar 19 the upper end of w ich is beveled at 20, see. iFig. 2, to engage beneath the dog 17 and move it out of swab engaging position. Below the collar 19 is a ring 21 secured to the tube ex- 65 tension 14 by welding or'the like and servingfas a support for a bell 'crank lever 22.

Said lever is pivotedat 23 to the ring and has an upwardly extending lever arm 24, the end of which is slotted at 25 to receive the pin 7o 26 upon an op'eratingy'oke 27. There is a short arm 28 on the lever which engages beneath the collar 19 to move said collar when the well is operated.

The lower end of the-tube 8 is connected 75 with inlet coupling 29 which forms a seat for the swab, and has an inlet port 30 below the swab seat 31 for the gaseous pressure'iuid and an inlet port 32 for the liquid past the i, swab to the space above. At the lower end 80 of the coupling is a nipple 33 projecting into the liquid.

vThe swab 19 fits within the eduction tube. Its lower end is lrounded to lit the seat 31. A valve 34 has astem vslidable in the lower 85 v end of the swab, and the said valve is. normally'retained out of itsl seat by gravitv and by uid pressure below the seat 35. elow the seat are lateral openings in the swab through which liquid or other fluid may pass into and through the swab. 4

My pressure Huid may-be air, gas,or similar Huid forced under pressure through pipe 36 to the pipe 7 by way of the pressure-Huid regulator A. Said regulatorlincludes a housing 37, one end of. which is secured to the head2. A cylinder 38 adjacent the head 2 receives apiston 39 upon which is a rod 40 slidable through the wall of the casing head fwhere it is connected with the yoke 27 for 100 operation of the sleeve 19'. A plurality of openings 41 about the rod 40 allows the passage of fluid from the casing head to said cylinder.

5 A stem 42 on the piston is slidable through a partition 43 at the head of the cylinder and may vengage a valve 44 at one side of a chamber 45. Said valve closes an opening in a wall 46 separating chamber 45 from an adv1 jacent chamber 47 with which the pipe 7 is connected. The valve 44 has a stem connected with a head 48 recessed to receive a spring 49 adjustably mounted in a cap 50 on the outer end of chamber 47.

There is a by-pass 51 from the chamber 45 to the chamber 47 adapted to be regulated by a manually adustable needle valve 52.

In the operation of the device; beginning with the parts positioned as shown in Fig. 1, the plunger has just reached its seat and is ready for the valve to be closed to startupwardly.4 The pressure fluid entering below the swab closes the valve, and the plunger with its load of liquid is forced upwardly to the surface. The liquid discharges through the outletsfland 3, and the plunger moves past theopenings, and the back pressure of the fluid entrapped in the cap 13 forces the plunger valve open.V The valve 44 is closed simultaneously with the moving of the dog 17 to swab plunger-engaging position by the advancing of the piston 39; this being accomplished by the fluid pressure at the upper end of the casing head while the swab is moving to the'end of its upward stroke. The piston 39 is forced outwardly by the pressure fluid passing through openings 41 to the cylinder 38. This shuts off the-full line pressure from the well. The air behind the plunger exhausts through the outlet at the upper 'end of the eduction tube, and the liquid from the well moves ,up into the eduction tube above the seat 31.

The pressure fluid then enters only by way of the by-pass 51 and bubbles up through the liquid. But the head of the liquid rising in the eduction tube above the pressure fluid inlet ygradually becomes great enough to resist the entry of gaseous pressure lluiduntil the fluid pressure is great enough behind the' valve 44, combined with the pressure of spring 49, to open valve 44v to allow entry of the full line pressure to the well. Simultaneously the piswhich falls with the valve still open. When the swab reaches its seat, the fluid pressure below it quickly operates to close the valve 34. and the operation is again repeated.

f By `the use of my device,'the,cost' of the installation is decreased over the old devices of this character, and the operation is still vautomatically controlled. The device is capable of accurate adjustment and is not liable to get out of order.

lthrough the ton 39 isfmovedto release the swab piston point below said swab, a

What I claim as new is:

1. A well Icasing, an eduction tube therein, means to" seal the space between the upper ends of said casing and tube, means to introduce gaseous pressure fluid into said casing to the lower end of said education tube, a swab plunger in said tube, an outlet member at the upper end of said tube, means on said member to engage and hold said swab, and means opeilgable by fluid pressure to release said swa 2. A well casing, an eduction tube therein, a swab plunger in said tube, means to introduce pressure fluid below said swab, means at the upper end of said tube to engage and hold said swaband means operable by fluid pressure when liquid has entered said tube to release said swab.

3. A well casing, an eduction tube therein, a swab plunger in said tube, means to introduce pressure fluid below said swab, means at the upper end of said tube to engage and hold said swab, and means operable when a predetermined level of liqiiid has risen in said tube to release said swa 4. A well casing, an eduction tube therein, a swab plunger in said tube, means to introduce pressure fluid below said swab, means at the upper end of said tube to engage and hold said swab, a pressure fluid regulator on said casing, a valve in said regulator controlling the entrance of said fluid to the lower end of said eduction tube, and means operable by the movement of said valve pressure in said casing to release said swab.

5. In combinatiomfa well casing, an eduction tube in said casing, a swab plunger in said tube, a supporting seat for said plunger adjacent the lower end f said tube, means to introduce fluid pressure below said seat to raise said swab, means to catch and hold said swab at the upper end of said tube, yand means operable when the liquid has risen a predetermined height above said seat to release said plunger.

6. In combination, a well casing, an eduction tube in said casing, a swab plunger in said tube. a supporting seat for said plunger adjacent the lower. end of said tube, means to introduce fluid pressure below said seat to raise said swab, means to catch and hold said swab at'the upper end of said tube, and means operable by the pressure of fluid in said casing to release said plunger.

7. In combination, a well casing, an eduction t'ube therein, a swab in said tube, a support for said swab adjacent the lower end of said tube, a pressure line to introduce pressure fluid fromsaid line into said casing to. a

fluid pressure regulator in said line, a valve in said regulator controlling the passage of fluid to said casing, a by-pass past said valve from said line, whereby pressure fluid can accumulate in said resume casing to open said valve, and means operable by the movement' of said valve to control the falling of said. swab.

8. In combination, a. well casing, an eduction tube therein, a swab in said tube, a support for said swab adjacent the lower end of said tube, a pressure line to introduce pressure Huid from said line into said casing to a point below said swab, a fluid pressure regulator in said line, a valve in said regulator con- 'l at trolling the passage of tluid to said casing, a by-pass past said valve from said line, whereby pressure luid can accumulate in said casing to open said valve, a swab catcher at the upper end of said tube, and means operable by the movement o1'- said valve to control the falling or said swab.

In testlmony whereof, I hereunto ax my signature, this llth day oi April, A. D.I

NORMAN H. menen. 

